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 Posted - June 09 2012 : 8:03:41 PM
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I have decided to go ahead with my L shaped deck railway, and this is the piece that I had to decide on, whether to make an over/under crossing and have a sharp grade, or spend the money and make a flat crossover. Not like I'm going to be running long coal drags or anything on this proposed outdoor HO railroad, so having the train short enough so it doesn't run into itself is no problem.
That's almost $50 worth of crossings I bought to make this piece, I. used a Dremel to cut off two adjacent sides on each 90 degree Xover, and there's 2.5 inches between centers. Turned out pretty nice, I did it in about 30 minutes time. Hope to get the railroad up and running this year sometime. Will probably have no scenery, but it will have 3 islands, and all flat terrain, thanks to this quad crossover I made. I'll bet no one else is likely to have used this in their layout scheme. 
While I was at it , I cleaned off my workbench again, and got it presentable enough to work on. I have GOT to try to keep it clean, I bought two Sterlite 3-drawer units to get all the HO engines off my bench and into something to keep them dust-free and ready to work on.
Rather cosy area in my basement corner, but useable. IF I can keep it cleaned up and not junked up.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - June 09 2012 : 10:12:45 PM
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Jerry,
NICE shot of the work area!
As for the quad crossing, yes, I have made 2 of them in the past, not for my own layout, but for others.....
Question tho...... you have a unimat......what do you have on the cross slide table? OR is that the tool rest for the lathe (sorry difficult to tell from the picture) but it looks like you have the wood lathe headstock plate on the cross slide, is that right?
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - June 09 2012 : 10:30:47 PM
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Jerry-
Stop imitating the look of my daughters bedroom!
Ron
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Posted - June 09 2012 : 10:44:27 PM
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quote:
Your daughter has a Unimat??? 
Nice bench, Jerry. 
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - June 09 2012 : 10:49:24 PM
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quote:Jerry,
NICE shot of the work area!
Question tho...... .what do you have on the cross slide table? OR is that the tool rest for the lathe (sorry difficult to tell from the picture) but it looks like you have the wood lathe headstock plate on the cross slide, is that right?
Originally posted by EM-1Â -Â June 09 2012Â :Â 10:12:45 PM
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Basically it's configured right now for a mini drill press. Unfortunately it sat down at my Aunt's farm for years, and all the specialty bits and chucks were seperated from this Unimat. I managed to retrieve it when my Aunt could no longer live at her home, but never did find all the other bits and pieces that went with it  So far, I haven't used it much, but it is available again when I need it's services. I'd have to look at it to see how to reconfigure to a lathe, your "headstock" and "cross slide" comments aren't making sense to me, as I haven't worked much with convertible machines like this. The motor is rotated vertically to use currently as a drill press, I assume it can be mounted horizontally again for the lathe option. I've just had no use for a mini-lathe, it was more useful to me the few times I used it as a drill press.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - June 10 2012 : 05:40:45 AM
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quote: quote:
Your daughter has a Unimat???
Nice bench, Jerry.
Originally posted by NickelPlate759Â -Â June 09 2012Â :Â 10:44:27 PM
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Nelson,. I'm not Jerry, but my daughter seems to think at 7 years old, she has a Unimat! LOL She turns styrene on mine when its set up as the lathe when I'm in the shop!
Speaking of which you ought to see the mess thats around mine right now, I was turning a plastic boiler to make a Western Maryland 0-6-0! Which I might add, is a really ODD boiler!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - June 10 2012 : 1:24:59 PM
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John, I'm just envious of anyone who can actually have a bench.  Your daughter ought to be a master machinist someday with such early lathing experience.
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Posted - June 10 2012 : 5:55:26 PM
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If I keep at it with her and she gets a really good interest, she just might! LOL And I'm not to bashfull to teach her!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - June 10 2012 : 9:43:04 PM
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If she has long hair, just make sure she always ties it back!
Jerry, is this outdoor setup going to be permanent, or something you can bring inside for bad weather?
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Posted - June 10 2012 : 11:09:17 PM
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quote:
Jerry, is this outdoor setup going to be permanent, or something you can bring inside for bad weather?
Originally posted by NickelPlate759Â -Â June 10 2012Â :Â 9:43:04 PM
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Yes, I intend for it to be modular,so I can break it down quickly. I have two nice sturdy metal C-shaped metal cable guides about 8 feet long for the long extensions, then I'll have two 4x4 sheets at the base of the L, and the short end,and probably a 4x6 at the long end for the yard and return loop. I'm going to use Flower Planter brackets or similar for the long narrow double mainline track, and then use some sort of 2x4 supports for the plywood sheets. Haven't totally worked it out yet, but it will definitely NOT be a permanent setup. Just something I can put up reasonably quick and enjoy some outdoor railroading while sitting on the deck.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - June 11 2012 : 9:39:03 PM
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Here's my proposed outdoor HO modular layout, will be mounted on the outside of the deck railing, so to be viewable while sitting down at the table. So far the only two pieces I have are the two C-channels to mount the track on to run between the 3 main modular sections I will have to build. Once I get the support framework figured out, I can move on with this project.
Like most of my projects, I will dream about it, and dawdle doing anything on it, and maybe I'll get something accomplished this year.  I hope to, anyway.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - June 11 2012 : 9:53:38 PM
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Nelson,
Actually my little one isn't allowed in my shop without her hair pulled back into a pony tail! AND when shes at the lathe it MUST be tucked under her shirt in the back!
Shes actually got her own saftety glasses BUT I make her wear the lathe shield instead as it protects her whole head when shes turning things even tho its plastic!
I myself, have other safety glasses so......PLUS my regular eye prescription glasses are safety glasses with side shields.
Jerry,
I took an existing picture I had of my Unimat, and edited it to show different parts in the picture.... if you look behind the motor, you can see the headstock column, this is what makes your Unimat in the "Drill Press" state, as you'll see in my picture its in the "Metal Lathe" state......I want ot get pictures of mine added so that it can be seen in different set ups!
See:
Let me know if this helps you to understand a Unimat....and what I was talking about on yours!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - June 11 2012 : 10:22:04 PM
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| Looks like a neat plan Jerry :) If you're using nickel silver track, rain won't hurt the rails will it?
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Posted - June 11 2012 : 11:26:07 PM
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quote:Looks like a neat plan Jerry :) If you're using nickel silver track, rain won't hurt the rails will it?
Originally posted by DaCheez - June 11 2012 : 10:22:04 PM
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I'd say probably not. I don't intend to leave it out in the rain. But it probably won't hurt it much if I wipe it down quickly.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - June 12 2012 : 06:00:27 AM
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Jerry,
I actually just now seen your diagram of the out door layout your planning! VERY interestin g idea!
I will say, I have done some crazy outdoors trains mostly in G scale (I have alittle G scale myself) But I have had a few customers have me lay track and out of the 3 of them, 2 used a mix of brass and nickle silver the other used all stainless steel track......
I must say the nickle and stainless steel stuff worked the best! HOWEVER, the G scale stainless steel stuff was the best ot owrk with as this customer had me lay a railroad crossing through his driveway!
Anyway back to HO, as long as you use ALL nickel silver track, you shouldn't run into any problems! HOWEVER, BE sure that (depending on your location) winter weather isn't an issue as the snow and ice can and will wreak havoc on your rails! Other then that, which is a simple remedy if its a semi-permant plan you have, cover it all use with a heavy, "supported" tarp and you'll be good to go! (cold won't hurt it) but ice and snow will.....which you want to keep off the track as much as possible.....
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - June 12 2012 : 2:57:13 PM
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I have seen NS corrode, but only from deteriorating packaging foam. I'm not sure if that's because of moisture trapped in the foam, or if there's a chemical reaction with the metal.
I've never exposed NS track to the elements, so I don't know how it would hold up.
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Posted - June 12 2012 : 10:59:07 PM
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quote:Jerry,
I actually just now seen your diagram of the out door layout your planning! VERY interestin g idea!
(depending on your location) winter weather isn't an issue as the snow and ice can and will wreak havoc on your rails!
Originally posted by EM-1Â -Â June 12 2012Â :Â 06:00:27 AM
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Well, I intend it to be modular and I can put it in the garage or basement when not in use. I definitely don't intend to leave it out in the weather much. I may make a sun cover for it to leave it out in non-rainy weather, and pull it down if weather is going to get bad. The trick is to make it easy to tear down and put up, like an indoor modular railroad. So we'll see how that progresses this year.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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